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Gem Profile- Moissanite

by Judy Ellis
The Gem Profile for this week starts with a question: what do Arizona, North Carolina, and outer space have in common? If you answered a beautiful, near-colorless stone that is commonly mistaken for diamond, you would be correct!
Moissanite Properties

Moissanite has a hardness of 9.5, making it nearly as hard as diamond. It also has needle-like, sometimes string-like inclusions. What differentiates moissanite from diamonds is not only its chemical structure, but also its fire and brilliance.

While diamonds are beautiful and sparkly, moissanite is even more so. It is 10% more brilliant than diamonds and more brilliant than any other gemstone, thanks to its refractive index of 2.65-2.69. Plus, moissanite's "fire," or the flashes of color it sends out, is 2.4 times greater than a diamond's of the same cut.

Moissanite is not graded using the "Four Cs" like diamonds, but stones are considered VS (very slight inclusion) and are sold by carat weight.

Moissanite is also considered a "green" gem not because it's radioactive, but because it is lab-created, reducing environmental impact compared with mined gems. It is also considered "fair trade," appealing to those concerned with the diamond industry.

Moissanite is spiritually neutral and has no metaphysical properties.

However, with its fire and brilliance, it can make a girl happy, and at one-third the cost of diamonds, it makes a guy happy too. While diamonds may be a girl's best friend, moissanite is a more affordable and sometimes even more beautiful alternative.
Judy Ellis's Gem Profile- Moissanite - , General Education, , Moissanite ring
Resources & Recommended Reading

Moissanite on Wikipedia

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  • Category: General Education
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